Susan Glaspell’s 1916 play ‘Trifles’ †Review Free Essays

Susan Glaspell’s 1916 play ‘Trifles’ demonstrates how gender can affect a reader’s response. Gender describes the physical and social condition of being male or female. When viewing the Wrights kitchen as a text and the characters as the reader, it becomes clear how gender is an integral feature of the theory of reading. We will write a custom essay sample on Susan Glaspell’s 1916 play ‘Trifles’ – Review or any similar topic only for you Order Now The reader response theory consists of multiple elements; it looks at how a reader interprets a text and what contributes to that interpretation. Raman Seldon et al states ‘we differ about interpretations only because our ways of reading differ’. The way we read a text will also depend on personal experience. Wolfgang Iser argues that a piece of literature contains ‘blanks’,2 these are spaces in the text that only the reader can fill. If these blanks exist within an unfamiliar area, the reader is unlikely to fill them. This affects the readers’ construal of the text in this case the Wrights kitchen. In the early 20th century the kitchen was a place rarely occupied by men and the County Attorney is quick to observe ‘nothing important here, nothing that would point to any motive’. The men in this scene are typical of the ‘implied reader’ described by Raman Seldon et al as ‘the reader whom the text creates for itself and amounts to a network of response-inviting structures’. The theory looks at how a text projects itself to the reader, Umberto Eco’s ‘the role of the reader’ argues that some texts are open while others are closed, the former invites reader collaboration in the development of meaning, the latter has its meaning already determined and has anticipated the readers response. 5 Trifles’ is an open text, it invites the readers, in this case the men and women to find the meaning/evidence. The men’s inability to fill the blanks signifies gender issue and contributes to their ultimate failure. Another aspect of reader-orientated criticism is the ‘reception theory’, Hans R Jauss, a German supporter of this theory uses the term ‘Horizon of expectation’6 to describe the criteria readers use to judge literary texts in any given period. The men of law enter the scene with a predetermined ‘horizon of expectation’. Their historical experience of similar crimes means they look for a particular set of codes in this case signs of evidence, because this case does not fit into that experience they fail to discover the evidence. They are restricted by their gender role and unable to read the text as anything other than masculine. Alongside the men, the ‘implied reader’ is Mrs. Hale. According to Raman Seldon et al we can categorise her as the ‘actual reader’ she ‘receives certain mental images in the process of reading’,7 but the images also depend on her ‘existing stock of experience’, in this case her understanding of what it is to be a woman in her time. Referring to Judith Fetterley’s notion of the resisting reader, Sara Mills argues that ‘although texts may address us as males, we as females can construct a space of reading which resists the dominant reading’. 8 Mrs. Hale resists the dominant reading and participates in a feminine reading of the text; this enables her to read the scene from a female perspective. Mrs. Peters reads the text both as a man and as a woman, although she only appears to do this at a subconscious level. She is the sheriffs’ wife; therefore, she has a stricter gender role to adhere to, her role of wife has almost obscured her natural femininity. Sara Mills describes the gendered reading of a text as ‘one whereby the reader comes to the process of reading with a framework of expectations which are determined by her gender, and she interacts with elements in a text in a gendered way’. 9 Mrs. Hale defines her gender role in comparison with Mrs. Wright when talking about Minnie she says ‘she didn’t even belong to ladies aid’10 she accepts that they are both farmers’ wives and that Minnie never fully embraced that gender role. Minnie did not get involved with other women or with organisations that would have given her freedom. The quote implies that it was the least she could have done, Mrs. Hale does however empathise with Minnie influencing Mrs. Peters to do the same. Raman Seldon et al state ‘the act of interpretation is possible because the text allows the reader access to the author’s consciousness,’11 this allows the reader to think and feel what the author does. This is a significant point, the men in the play try to interpret Mrs. Wright’s manner but are unable to come to any conclusions, when the women discover the untidy sewing they are able make assumptions about her mood and state of mind, they can identify with her as a woman and as a wife. Sara Mills states that ‘the reader is subject to many discursive pressures which lead her to read in particular ways. ‘. 12 Mrs. Peters avoids answering direct questions with her own opinion when asked by Mrs. Hale â⠂¬Ëœdo you think she did it? ‘ She replies with the opinions of her husband and his colleagues. She does sympathise, but what follows is an abrupt recall of her masculine implied reader response, e. . ‘I know what stillness is, but the law has got to punish crime, Mrs. Hale’. 14 A reader always takes to a text a framework into which they fit the text, this explains why the men read the scene the way they do. The men interpret the text from a masculine point of view, they only know the facts, Mr. Wright is dead and Mrs. Wright was the only other person present. It would be natural for them, taking into consideration there historical viewpoint, implied reader response and gender role, to look for obvious signs of an argument or struggle. The notion of a gendered difference is critical when analysing reader positioning. The kitchen plays an integral part in signifying the gender roles. Gainor states in her essay, ‘if the kitchen is coded as the woman’s sphere, then surely the bedroom must be thought of as the male arena,’15 this is where the men spend most of their time and of course where John Wright died. Mrs. Hale and the men in the play have a contradictory view of John Wright’s character. When Mrs. Peters states, ‘they say he was a good man,’ she is again referring to the men’s opinion. While Mrs. Hale admits that he ‘didn’t drink’, ‘kept his word’ and ‘paid his bills’, she also refers to her own impression of him as a ‘hard man’. Mrs. Hales sees beyond the masculine observations and trusts her own instincts; she describes talking to him as ‘like a raw wind that gets to the bone’. 16 The men in the play do not discuss John Wright’s life or personality. The women do discuss Minnie Wright, Mrs. Hale describes her before her marriage, ‘she used to wear pretty clothes and be lively, when she was Minnie Foster’. 17 Mrs. Hale builds up an image of Mrs. Wright that Mrs. Peters can relate to and identify with, she later describes her as ‘like a bird herself’,18 this coupled with the cold character of Mr. Wright and the discovery of the birdcage create an image of Minnie being caged herself. The discovery of the bird with its broken neck is an important moment of realisation for the two women. The extent of the sadness in Minnie Wright’s life has become abundantly clear and the recognition of what this grim discovery signifies seems to set Mrs. Hales mind racing. Again, referring back to her own personal experience of Mr. Wright, Mrs. Hale states ‘No, Wright wouldn’t like the bird-a thing that sang. She used to sing. He killed that, too’. 19 This statement is sufficient to make Mrs. Peters obviously uncomfortable with how the situation is unfolding. Mrs. Hale reproaches herself for not calling on Mrs. Wright occasionally; she declares ‘that was a crime, who’s going to punish that? ’20 This questioning adds to the inference that the murder was not the only crime that took place in the farmhouse. Ultimately, both women read the text from a gendered perspective enabling them to justify why they hide the evidence. The two women show compassion for Minnie Wright, they understand the hardships of being a woman in their time, and Mrs. Hale says ‘we all go through the same things – it’s all just a different kind of the same thing’. 21 It is here the women seem united, in defense of one they feel has done wrong and been wronged, in a final act of female solidarity they hide the evidence they have found and protect Mrs. Wright. Susan Glaspell’s ‘Trifles’ is a play in one act that demonstrates the significance of gendered theories of reading. It achieves this by showing how the woman make their observations and unknowingly build up the circumstances surrounding the crime. They notice small details that are significant to them as women; these details enable them to identify with the text. The men in this play overlook these details because they only view the scene from a masculine perspective. They read the text within a rigid framework of ideals that do not apply in this case, to be able to interpret a variety of texts is to be able to read from a gendered point of view. How to cite Susan Glaspell’s 1916 play ‘Trifles’ – Review, Papers

Susan Glaspell’s 1916 play ‘Trifles’ †Review Free Essays

Susan Glaspell’s 1916 play ‘Trifles’ demonstrates how gender can affect a reader’s response. Gender describes the physical and social condition of being male or female. When viewing the Wrights kitchen as a text and the characters as the reader, it becomes clear how gender is an integral feature of the theory of reading. We will write a custom essay sample on Susan Glaspell’s 1916 play ‘Trifles’ – Review or any similar topic only for you Order Now The reader response theory consists of multiple elements; it looks at how a reader interprets a text and what contributes to that interpretation. Raman Seldon et al states ‘we differ about interpretations only because our ways of reading differ’. The way we read a text will also depend on personal experience. Wolfgang Iser argues that a piece of literature contains ‘blanks’,2 these are spaces in the text that only the reader can fill. If these blanks exist within an unfamiliar area, the reader is unlikely to fill them. This affects the readers’ construal of the text in this case the Wrights kitchen. In the early 20th century the kitchen was a place rarely occupied by men and the County Attorney is quick to observe ‘nothing important here, nothing that would point to any motive’. The men in this scene are typical of the ‘implied reader’ described by Raman Seldon et al as ‘the reader whom the text creates for itself and amounts to a network of response-inviting structures’. The theory looks at how a text projects itself to the reader, Umberto Eco’s ‘the role of the reader’ argues that some texts are open while others are closed, the former invites reader collaboration in the development of meaning, the latter has its meaning already determined and has anticipated the readers response. 5 Trifles’ is an open text, it invites the readers, in this case the men and women to find the meaning/evidence. The men’s inability to fill the blanks signifies gender issue and contributes to their ultimate failure. Another aspect of reader-orientated criticism is the ‘reception theory’, Hans R Jauss, a German supporter of this theory uses the term ‘Horizon of expectation’6 to describe the criteria readers use to judge literary texts in any given period. The men of law enter the scene with a predetermined ‘horizon of expectation’. Their historical experience of similar crimes means they look for a particular set of codes in this case signs of evidence, because this case does not fit into that experience they fail to discover the evidence. They are restricted by their gender role and unable to read the text as anything other than masculine. Alongside the men, the ‘implied reader’ is Mrs. Hale. According to Raman Seldon et al we can categorise her as the ‘actual reader’ she ‘receives certain mental images in the process of reading’,7 but the images also depend on her ‘existing stock of experience’, in this case her understanding of what it is to be a woman in her time. Referring to Judith Fetterley’s notion of the resisting reader, Sara Mills argues that ‘although texts may address us as males, we as females can construct a space of reading which resists the dominant reading’. 8 Mrs. Hale resists the dominant reading and participates in a feminine reading of the text; this enables her to read the scene from a female perspective. Mrs. Peters reads the text both as a man and as a woman, although she only appears to do this at a subconscious level. She is the sheriffs’ wife; therefore, she has a stricter gender role to adhere to, her role of wife has almost obscured her natural femininity. Sara Mills describes the gendered reading of a text as ‘one whereby the reader comes to the process of reading with a framework of expectations which are determined by her gender, and she interacts with elements in a text in a gendered way’. 9 Mrs. Hale defines her gender role in comparison with Mrs. Wright when talking about Minnie she says ‘she didn’t even belong to ladies aid’10 she accepts that they are both farmers’ wives and that Minnie never fully embraced that gender role. Minnie did not get involved with other women or with organisations that would have given her freedom. The quote implies that it was the least she could have done, Mrs. Hale does however empathise with Minnie influencing Mrs. Peters to do the same. Raman Seldon et al state ‘the act of interpretation is possible because the text allows the reader access to the author’s consciousness,’11 this allows the reader to think and feel what the author does. This is a significant point, the men in the play try to interpret Mrs. Wright’s manner but are unable to come to any conclusions, when the women discover the untidy sewing they are able make assumptions about her mood and state of mind, they can identify with her as a woman and as a wife. Sara Mills states that ‘the reader is subject to many discursive pressures which lead her to read in particular ways. ‘. 12 Mrs. Peters avoids answering direct questions with her own opinion when asked by Mrs. Hale â⠂¬Ëœdo you think she did it? ‘ She replies with the opinions of her husband and his colleagues. She does sympathise, but what follows is an abrupt recall of her masculine implied reader response, e. . ‘I know what stillness is, but the law has got to punish crime, Mrs. Hale’. 14 A reader always takes to a text a framework into which they fit the text, this explains why the men read the scene the way they do. The men interpret the text from a masculine point of view, they only know the facts, Mr. Wright is dead and Mrs. Wright was the only other person present. It would be natural for them, taking into consideration there historical viewpoint, implied reader response and gender role, to look for obvious signs of an argument or struggle. The notion of a gendered difference is critical when analysing reader positioning. The kitchen plays an integral part in signifying the gender roles. Gainor states in her essay, ‘if the kitchen is coded as the woman’s sphere, then surely the bedroom must be thought of as the male arena,’15 this is where the men spend most of their time and of course where John Wright died. Mrs. Hale and the men in the play have a contradictory view of John Wright’s character. When Mrs. Peters states, ‘they say he was a good man,’ she is again referring to the men’s opinion. While Mrs. Hale admits that he ‘didn’t drink’, ‘kept his word’ and ‘paid his bills’, she also refers to her own impression of him as a ‘hard man’. Mrs. Hales sees beyond the masculine observations and trusts her own instincts; she describes talking to him as ‘like a raw wind that gets to the bone’. 16 The men in the play do not discuss John Wright’s life or personality. The women do discuss Minnie Wright, Mrs. Hale describes her before her marriage, ‘she used to wear pretty clothes and be lively, when she was Minnie Foster’. 17 Mrs. Hale builds up an image of Mrs. Wright that Mrs. Peters can relate to and identify with, she later describes her as ‘like a bird herself’,18 this coupled with the cold character of Mr. Wright and the discovery of the birdcage create an image of Minnie being caged herself. The discovery of the bird with its broken neck is an important moment of realisation for the two women. The extent of the sadness in Minnie Wright’s life has become abundantly clear and the recognition of what this grim discovery signifies seems to set Mrs. Hales mind racing. Again, referring back to her own personal experience of Mr. Wright, Mrs. Hale states ‘No, Wright wouldn’t like the bird-a thing that sang. She used to sing. He killed that, too’. 19 This statement is sufficient to make Mrs. Peters obviously uncomfortable with how the situation is unfolding. Mrs. Hale reproaches herself for not calling on Mrs. Wright occasionally; she declares ‘that was a crime, who’s going to punish that? ’20 This questioning adds to the inference that the murder was not the only crime that took place in the farmhouse. Ultimately, both women read the text from a gendered perspective enabling them to justify why they hide the evidence. The two women show compassion for Minnie Wright, they understand the hardships of being a woman in their time, and Mrs. Hale says ‘we all go through the same things – it’s all just a different kind of the same thing’. 21 It is here the women seem united, in defense of one they feel has done wrong and been wronged, in a final act of female solidarity they hide the evidence they have found and protect Mrs. Wright. Susan Glaspell’s ‘Trifles’ is a play in one act that demonstrates the significance of gendered theories of reading. It achieves this by showing how the woman make their observations and unknowingly build up the circumstances surrounding the crime. They notice small details that are significant to them as women; these details enable them to identify with the text. The men in this play overlook these details because they only view the scene from a masculine perspective. They read the text within a rigid framework of ideals that do not apply in this case, to be able to interpret a variety of texts is to be able to read from a gendered point of view. How to cite Susan Glaspell’s 1916 play ‘Trifles’ – Review, Papers

Network Debate Essays - TiVo Inc., Digital Video Recorders

Network Debate It was a brutal race. They interrupted our daily scheduled shows with boisterous promises they could never fulfill. They invaded our towns and cities with their advertisements; their faces defaced our buses and benches. And still, no one has emerged as the clean victor. Yes, the battle for network coverage of the Presidential race was fierce. It was an exciting race indeed. On CBS, Dan Rather's predictions rolled off his lips like sweat off a dancing bear; he was ?hotter than a Loredo parking lot.? NBC's Tom Brokaw entertained us with fancy charts and sarcastic guests. Fox was all eye candy; 3-D charts superimposed over the Bush mansion glittered with incorrect predictions. ABC had the honor of being the first network to announce and retract Governor Bush's victory, while on CNN we heard ?too close to call? more often than the vote in Florida has been counted. Comedy Central's Indecision 2000 delighted us with irreverent commentary by John Stewart and analysis by Bob Dole. I did not vote. With my remote, I was indifferent; it was all too annoying. How I wished something exciting would replace these endless predictions and corrections. I prayed for a TiVo so I could pick what and when I wanted to watch. Bereft of TiVo's brilliant technology, I did what any other upstanding, bored American citizen would have done: I rented a movie. Bibliography All Original thought Movies and Television

The Size Of Government Example

The Size Of Government Example The Size Of Government – Coursework Example The Size of Government The Size of Government The government of any Nation is has a responsibility of solving problems involving the citizens of the same nation including reduction of poverty, ensuring safety and protection of the citizens from preventable harm, protecting civil liberties and civil rights, creating equal chances of the citizens to succeed. Just like any other institution, there is need for the government to expand in order to much the population of the subjects and be able to offer them optimum services (Cropf, 2008). The society is not made up of isolated individuals who are independently struggling for survival, but a closely woven community in which each one depends on the other. It is without doubt that there is a significant gap between the wealthy and the middle class and the poor in the American society. As such, the conservative view of allowing the government to stay away from the economy and creating a free market would increase this gap even further as it will allow the rich to prey further on the poor. In such a setting, the poor may not be exposed to as many opportunities for development as would the rich. Failure to regulate large corporations would lead to engagement in all forms of practices that would maximize profit at the expenses of the poor employees and consumers (Cropf, 2008). As such, taxation of the wealthy would create an equal opportunity for development and personal growth for the poor in the form of increased job opportunities, cheaper healthcare, and cheaper education. Contrary to the view that a large government burdens the American people, such a government ensures equal distribution of resources to different departments and promotes commitment towards meeting the numerous needs of the citizens while singling out each of the needs (Cropf, 2008).ReferenceCropf, R. A. (2008). American Public Administration: Public Service for the 21st Century (1st ed.). New York: Pearson Longman.

Harvard Referencing 4 Facts You Should Know

Harvard Referencing 4 Facts You Should Know Harvard Referencing: 4 Facts You Should Know Harvard referencing is a citation style used in higher education around the world, providing a quick way of referencing sources in academic writing. Its widespread use means that knowing how this system works is wise for any student. To help, then, we’ve prepared this quick guide explaining a few key facts you should know. 1. There is No Such Thing as â€Å"Harvard Referencing† Most people assume that Harvard referencing is associated with Harvard University, but there is no official connection. There is, in fact, technically no such thing as the Harvard referencing â€Å"system† at all. The school exists, though. You didnt imagine that. Rather, â€Å"Harvard referencing† is a generic term for parenthetical referencing. Therefore, â€Å"Harvard referencing† can mean a number of variations of the same basic rule set. As a result, the exact way to reference sources will depend on the version used. We could end each of the other points in this post by reminding you to check whether your school uses the same conventions, but we’ll just do it here once in big letters to save time: CHECK YOUR STYLE GUIDE! Got it? Cool. 2. Author–Date Citations All variations of Harvard referencing use an author–date format. This means giving the author’s surname and a year of publication for sources in parentheses, as well as relevant page numbers when quoting directly: Early humans â€Å"didn’t fly by helicopter† (Diamond, 1997, p. 49). If the author is named in the main text, there’s no need to duplicate it in the citation: According to Diamond (1997), Australia is unique in the history of human development. Each source cited in the text should also be added to a reference list at the end of your document. 3. When to Cite The key to good referencing is knowing when it’s necessary to cite a source. The main situations are when: Using a direct quotation Paraphrasing another author’s ideas or arguments Using a diagram or illustration from another source Using previously published data or results Summarizing a thinker’s beliefs or thoughts The key thing to keep in mind is that it’s the quality of citations that counts, not the quantity. You shouldn’t, therefore, worry about not having â€Å"enough† citations in your work, as long as you’ve clearly and consistently cited sources when required. 4. The Reference List Harvard referencing requires all cited sources to be included in a reference list with full publication information. The details to include for each source depend on its format, but the list itself should follow a few key conventions: List all cited sources (additional reading can be included separately) Sources should be ordered alphabetically by author surname Multiple works by the same author should be listed earliest first by publication date When a source has multiple authors, give all listed names (no matter how many) We hope this has clarified a few things, and don’t forget to check out the other Harvard referencing posts on our blog.

People , placed and Environment portolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

People , placed and Environment portolio - Essay Example The relationship of people with their environment is not same in all places. Some places & its environment are harsh for human sustainability whereas some places are most suitable for living. This Portfolio is an endeavor to portray the relationship of people of different places with their environment, with the shift in their location. The places vary from Asian countries like Tibet to countries in the American continent like USA. It depicts the way in which the environment determines the different aspects of their life like population growth, nourishment & economic development of the whole community etc. It describes how people are in different types of relationship with the environment & the way their dependency, wellbeing, etc. varies with the change in location. In the present age, human beings have started to affect the environment enormously through their actions. The environment is harmed considerably by the actions of people. But the harm the environment suffers, through the actions of people varies from place to place. Fig. 1 Nomads of Tibet Fig. 2 People of New York City Fig. 3 People in Sahara desert Fig. 4 Earthquake in Sumatra Fig. 5 â€Å"Java Rice Paddy Workers† Fig. 6 People in Sumatra In Fig. 1 the image of a Nomad of Tibet is given. The population of the area is low due to its rugged relief, creating obstacles in the construction of roads, railways & communication (Richabraj). The nomads come out in the warm weather & roam in mountain pastures with their herds of yaks and sheep. In the cold weather they go to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet for many reasons (Tibetan Nomads: A focus on the Tibetan culture). Thus, this people completely depend on nature for their survival. In Fig. 2 we can see an image of New York City, a highly industrialized city of a developed country. Environment is most suitable in all aspects due to its location. But unlike the developing countries the city causes pollution & thus harms the environment. In Fig. 3 we can see the inhabitants of Sahara Desert, which has a population of only 2.5 million despite its area of 3.5 million. It has one of the harshest environments. The majority of the population being Nomads move from place to place in search of better living conditions (The Living Africa: The People). In Fig. 4 we can see people in Sumatra trying to rescue survivors from a house destroyed by earthquake. These people are tormented by the environment through its natural disasters. Yet, the desire for survival impels these people to fight with the environment. In Fig. 5 we can see workers in Java Island of Indonesia. The Java islands of Indonesia have fertile soil, as such agriculture flourished, making the area densely populated (Richabraj). Thus the environment is perfectly suitable for human beings over here & less industrialization does not allow the environment to be harmed. We can call this a healthy relationship of people, place & environment. In Fig. 6 we can see migrating people of S umatra. Due to the environmental conditions they are forced to migrate in search for a better place. They don’t harm the nature by themselves but instead they are being ruled by the forces of nature. Works Cited Richabraj. â€Å" Elaborate relationship between man and environment?† Wikianswers.com. N.d. Web. 25th Feb 2011. â€Å"Tibetan Nomads: A

Shipboard Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Shipboard Management - Essay Example When the ship is tilted the life boats cannot be released, so the warning system must alert passengers before the tilt takes place. In this condition the passengers did not understand the advantage of taking life rafts and use the life vests on the ship. By the time they understood the situation is out of control. The life rafts were not easy to use and board. They over turned when used by the passengers. It is difficult to assemble them by the people on board. This did not ensure any protection to passengers at the time of accident The supervision regarding the safety measures was not up to mark as some rafts were checked repeatedly and some were left without checking. This caused the destroying the roofs of the rafts for identification by the rescue helicopters. As there are many people to be rescued the number of helicopters did not comply with the need. They were over crowded. The number of rescue crew that came with the helicopters was not enough when compared to the number of p eople to be rescued. The investigation through the video tapes revealed the bow door failure. The failure was due to separation of it from the ferry. The ramp and screen of the bow were damaged and there is no supervision regarding it. This disturbed normal safety measures implementation. The video monitoring that should be done was limited to some part of the vessel only and the bow door and the adjacent parts were not monitored by it. The monitoring of the video was up to that extent only that it is useful after the accident to estimate that up to how much extent and in how much time the water entered the vessel. 1 The crew in operation also did not know about these lapses. Had they know it, they might have reversed the ship which could have avoided the accident by sinking in deep water. This reveals the communication gap between the administration of the ship and crew in operation. After this a joint agreement between different states took place to influence and amend the administrative issues regarding the prohibition of inspection. Not only did the investigations about the sinking of the vessel, the investigation set a stage for enacting further safety measures on board of every vessel. The commissioner for wrecks, Mr Justice Sheen stated that it was the duty f the officer loading the main vehicle deck to see that the bow doors were safe and secure before leaving the harbour. Not only in this case the commissioner found after this investigation that this safety instruction was regularly violated by number of managements of the ship and other officers who monitor the loading of vehicle deck. In this particular case it was found that the officer left the responsibility of closing the bow doors to his assistant. This comes under the violation of standing instructions. The commissioner criticized the ship management company regarding the violation of safety measures and stated the need of considering the strict compliance to the safety measures. When the above statement of commissioner was considered the main responsibility of the disaster lies with the chief officer, his assistant and senior master who was responsible for the monitoring of implementation of the safety measur